After using the graduate transfer rule to fill niche roles like situational punter, Notre Dame landed a potential difference maker in Florida graduate Cody Riggs. After starting 26 games between cornerback and safety for the Gators, Riggs decided to play out his collegiate eligibility with the Irish, a school he almost committed to out of high school.
While undersized, Riggs is a versatile, physical defensive back that’s capable of playing corner, safety or battling in the slot. He’s already made his presence felt on campus as he’s worked his way into the starting mix. Let’s take a closer look at what Riggs has to offer.
CODY RIGGS
5'9" 185 lbs.
Grad Student, No. 2
RECRUITING PROFILE
An Under Armour All-American at St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Riggs took an official visit to Notre Dame in November before eventually chosing Florida. His recruitment was started by the Weis regime, making it difficult for the Irish to win the four-star prospect during a transitional class.
At just 5-foot-8.5 and 160 pounds, Riggs didn’t likely profile as a cornerback of Bob Diaco’s liking. But Riggs’ name connected rather quickly with Notre Dame after he made the decision to look elsewhere this spring, and Riggs chose Notre Dame over a slew of other options to play out his fifth year.
PLAYING CAREER
Freshman Season (2010): Played in all 13 games for the Gators, starting three. Made 18 total tackles on the year as a cornerback. One of six true freshmen to play, and the first sub in at cornerback.
Sophomore Season (2011): Played in all 13 games, making 10 starts. Contributed 31 tackles, including 1.5 TFL.
Junior Season (2012): Played in two games before fracturing his foot. Earned medical redshirt.
Senior Season (2013): Played and started all 13 games as a safety for the Gators. Finished fourth on the team with 51 tackles and unofficially 10 TFLs.
UPSIDE POTENTIAL
Riggs came to Notre Dame not just to get an advanced graduate degree, but to prove his worth on the field as more than just a safety. Stuck behind two elite cornerbacks that profile to be high NFL Draft picks, Riggs took advantage of his medical redshirt and ability to improve his professional stock both on and off the field by heading to Notre Dame.
While his size certainly hinders his upside, Riggs has top-end speed and no fear of contact. He also adds a versatility that Brian VanGorder seems to covet.
With less than three weeks to go before the season opener, Riggs has solidified his job as a starting cornerback, adding another veteran in the secondary who will line up opposite KeiVarae Russell. He’ll team with Cole Luke and Devin Butler to provide significant depth behind Russell, and Riggs’ ability to slide inside and out should make him a key piece of the secondary.
Getting reps in the punt return game, the staff is looking to find ways for Riggs to make a difference. He’s only notched one interception at the college level, so if he’s able to help create turnovers or other big plays, he’ll turn his single season in South Bend into a very memorable one.
CRYSTAL BALL
Expect Riggs to bring some SEC attitude and a veteran presence to the secondary. While KeiVarae Russell’s talent has people excited, he’s still entering just his third year of playing defensive back. Add to that first-year starter Max Redfield and converted wide receiver Austin Collinsworth, and you begin to understand how helpful a player like Riggs is on the Irish defense.
While we’ll know more about his top-end ability in the coming weeks, Riggs has NFL potential. Add that to some positional versatility and elite speed, and he feels like a perfect fit for VanGorder... even if he was a player that Bob Diaco might not have chased.
As we’ve seen in the past, Brian Kelly will do whatever it takes to make sure he’s getting as much as possible out of his 85-man scholarship roster. Adding a piece like Riggs gives Kelly a skilled defensive back that we haven’t seen all that often in South Bend, and turns a position that was high on talent but low on experience into one of the strongest spots on the roster.
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